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The California sanctuary slated as the next home for the Toronto Zoo&rsquo;s three remaining elephants &ldquo;isn&rsquo;t suitable&rdquo; because it has a problem with tuberculosis, says the zoo&rsquo;s CEO in a report set to go before city council next week.

By Donovan VincentStaff Reporter

Thu., Nov. 22, 2012

The California sanctuary slated as the next home for the Toronto Zoo’s three remaining elephants “isn’t suitable” because it has a problem with tuberculosis, says the zoo’s CEO in a report set to go before city council next week.

The report from John Tracogna says that a due diligence review of PAWS by the zoo resulted in the sanctuary not providing all the medical records the zoo has asked for. The zoo also has concerns about steps PAWS has taken to contain tuberculosis there.

The zoo also claims PAWS has “no workable transportation plan” in place to safely move the elephants.

Tracogna says the National Elephant Center in Florida, a sanctuary-like facility set to be completed next spring, has offered to take Toronto’s elephants, and zoo staff will undertake a full review of the facility.

Last year, city council voted to send the animals to PAWS. However, a contract between PAWS and the zoo has a clause that says the zoo’s CEO can kill the contract at no cost to either side if he is not satisfied after a due diligence review of the sanctuary.

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Tracogna wants the elephant transfer issue to go back to the Toronto Zoo’s board of management.

PAWS has acknowledged that there are cases of TB “exposure” among its Asian elephants. However, it says they are kept separate and a safe distance from its African elephants, and that would apply to the zoo’s three African females once they arrive.

PAWS and its supporters have likened the zoo’s due diligence review to a “witch hunt” designed to prevent Toronto’s elephants from going to PAWS.

At the centre of the debate are three key issues: a drawn-out due diligence review the Toronto Zoo is still doing on PAWS; reports of tuberculosis at the sanctuary; and the rarely discussed “opt out” clause in the contract between the zoo and the sanctuary.

The three elephants aren’t getting any younger: Toka is 41, Thika is 31, and Iringa, 42, has a foot ailment.

In terms of controlling the spread of TB on site, the zoo says it hasn’t yet received assurances there are proper quarantine protocols in place at PAWS to protect Toronto’s elephants.

But the pro-PAWS side is downplaying the scare, saying the facility doesn’t have a TB problem. They say signs of “exposure” to TB have simply shown up more because the centre doesn’t turn away elephants, sick or healthy, and some of them come from circuses and other situations where the disease can be an issue.

They say PAWS has rigorous quarantine measures and that Toronto’s elephants – who tested negative for TB as recently as March – won’t in any way be exposed to the illness after they arrive.

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